Sure, but here’s the million-dollar question: How often should you pull the dipstick and check your oil level?

Survey the masses and you’ll find that most people only touch the dipstick after they change oil to verify the oil level. Shame on you, masses. Don’t you care about your engine? Continue reading to find out why checking oil frequently is important to protecting your engine.

All engines burn oil

Yes, they do, whether you realize it or not. It’s a natural function of lubricating the piston ring/cylinder liner interface. The rings must seal against the liner for the engine to build compression. Compression builds the horsepower we all love so much. Without that oil film, we’d turn the key, back the truck out of the garage and – BANG! – there goes your engine. Some of the oil film, however, burns with every piston stroke.

Ask yourself again: why do engine’s have a dipstick?

Is it really just to verify the proper oil level after an oil change? Or should we be checking oil more frequently as part of our daily driving routine?

Now that we know all engines burn some oil, we should ask ourselves how long it has been since we lasted checked oil. Pop the hood and pull the dipstick to ensure the engine oil level resides in the safe area on the dipstick. Top-off as needed lest you become that unfortunate person who spills coffee on himself when the engine goes BANG while backing out of the garage.

So, where is the oil going?

Maybe you’re wondering what happens to the oil that burns in the combustion chamber.

If you own a diesel pickup built in or after 2007, listen up.

The oil burns and is pushed into the exhaust stream, just like the byproducts of burned diesel fuel.

All 2007-and-newer trucks are equipped with a diesel particulate filter (DPF). If your truck was built in or after 2010, it has a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system. These two devices manage the byproducts of diesel combustion and reduce emissions.

How does a DPF work?

The DPF collects and separates the partially burned byproducts of diesel fuel, similar to how an air filter separates and removes airborne dirt particles from the air. These particles collect in the filter until they begin to restrict airflow. At that time the engine reacts and dumps fuel into the exhaust stream to raise the exhaust-gas temperature and help burn the soot byproducts. The system effectively reduces emissions and is built into nearly every diesel application these days.

Example of a diesel particulate filter.

What happens to the burned engine oil as it enters the exhaust stream?

Unfortunately the burned byproducts of engine oil lodge in the DPF and remain there forever. Alternatively, you can remove the DPF for cleaning or replacement.

The problem with oil consumption in diesels is that it can prematurely plug the DPF, rendering it useless.

So, let’s reiterate: all engines burn oil, which can plug the DPF.

That’s the reality with today’s technology. That’s another reason why it’s important to pull the dipstick on a regular basis and track your oil consumption.

The other unfortunate part is that you can do very little to affect how much oil your engine burns. Design tolerances and engine manufacturing affect oil consumption the most.

Comments

Oil burning and clogging the DPF
Ams Oil
The issue isn’t the diesel burning oil. It’s PVC system allowing a constant mist of oil laden blow by enter the turbo intake then getting burnt by the motor.
This is why people are installing catch cans to collect the oil mist that will eventually plug the DPF.
You are completely missing the issue with burning oil plugging the DPF !

Tell me how to stop the oil from turning into a mist and exiting through the PVC……

A faulty PCV system that builds extra crankcase pressure can push more oil in the combustion chamber and worsen the oil-burning issue. What we’re alluding to in the post is the oil film on which the rings ride in the cylinder. Some of that oil is burned on every piston stroke, and down the exhaust pipe it goes. Different oils have different tendencies to burn more or less during this process.

But yes, the PCV system does, in fact, play a role in oil consumption. How do you stop the oil from turning into a mist? Use an oil with the lowest NOACK Volatility number possible. This is a laboratory measurement of how much the oil will volatilize (evaporate) and work its way into the PCV system and down the exhaust pipe. You can typically find that number on the oil’s Technical Data Bulletin.

After draining oil from client’s Buick Skylark, before returning drain plug, I started the engine for a few seconds. My intent was to dislodge ancient oil trapped in oil tubes and channels.

A pencil lead stream flowed for minutes. Unfortunately, didn’t collect volume 2nd drain. This trapped oil, if left in engine, would instantly blend with sparkling bottled oil. Ancient oil will plug new oil filter within a hundred miles, thus, reducing oil flow for life of new oil.

You can evaluate 2nd drain on one or more size engines. Is % of trapped oil more in small or large engine?

I urge vehicle users to 2nd drain. After short ignition, OFF engine. Immediately time length of 2nd drain and volume. With this data, you can encourage others to 2nd drain. “My car drained and dripped another 3 minutes, yielding 1 1/2 cups trash oil.”